Travels in New Zealand and beyond, going back to 2003!
The seagulls flock together at dusk, thankful for a calm evening, after a torrid week of storms. On the high hills, of the greater Wellington region, the wind catches on the cliff edge, strong enough to lean into and imagine one could fly. In the Botanical Garden of the capital city the deciduous trees beckon…
Last week was a crazily wet one in Wellington (and much of New Zealand) and, with the short days of late autumn, there’s stark few hours for out-door fun after school; so we’ve been keeping dry at home and enjoying some drawing. Any parent with more than one child will concur; it’s a bonus when…
Dear Alice, Since turning five you’ve accomplished so much in your young life. Seeing you head off to school with such confidence and independence has filled me with many moments of deep pride (and a few Mummy tears!). I wasn’t sure how you would adjust to school life, having never been to any type of…
May in New Zealand is a month of shorter days and candle-lit nights, a month of celebrating mothers on Mother’s Day and cross-country running. It’s a month when the colours of a summer well spent are trying desperately to cling on – but fading with every short day of light and howling storm. I love…
This is the garden of our home in Martinborough, where we escape to as often as time allows. It’s our weekend retreat in the countryside, where the climate is frequently several degrees warmer than our place in Wellington – on the beautiful, but often wild and rugged south coast of the North Island of New…
I read a beautiful story about a prize winning New Zealand wine this week, ‘The story behind the world’s best pinot noir‘ and it made me think of particular wines that have become markers of special occasions in my life. On Valentine’s Day 1998 my husband proposed to me at the wonderful Marlborough Food and…
I adore the downtime of the school holidays and the opportunity it gives my children to be creative without any constrains on their time. It’s also wonderful to see them create with the freedom to go with whatever is currently in their hearts and minds, rather than have to work on something within the guidelines…
There has been colour from afar, by way of gifts and cards, and colour near to me, by way of nature, food and art. There has been colour in my children’s creations and in the candles, lit to warm the dark. I have been spoiled with loving gifts and thoughts this week, in celebrating my…
The Easter School holidays in New Zealand started with the sudden onset of dark evenings, as the clocks turned back an hour on the night of Easter Saturday. After an incredible summer it was an abrupt change for everyone to be plunged into darker evenings; but it is only fair that the northern hemisphere get…
My first thought, as I walked into the entrance of the St James Theatre in Wellington, was, ‘Wow! All these umbrellas are gorgeous, but they wouldn’t last five minutes outdoors in Wellington for real!’. Thankfully, there were no gusts blowing into the concourse of the St James Theatre for the performance of Singin’ in the Rain, showing…
Rivendell, the place where hobbits and dwarfs meet with men, wizards and elves. Our youngest explorer was delighted to be hobbit sized, whilst my friend, Nicola, and I were wizards. Sophie, aged 9, wasn’t so sure about being dwarf sized, but she’d have a lot of growing to do to be on a par with…
Running and walking the gorgeous trails of the Wellington town belt (with a touch of housework, school drop-offs, pick-ups, and other organising in between) has quickly become my term time ‘go to’ whilst all the girls are at school. The autumnal weather has been beautiful and mild. Having a gorgeous puppy to share my time with…
Since getting a weekender in Martinborough we’ve really enjoyed spending more time on bikes with our children. The rural roads are quiet. The terrain is flat. The climate is often milder than our home in Wellington. There’s also ample places to stop for refreshment – from the cafes in the village to the vineyards encompassing…
The Queen Elizabeth Park in Masterton is a delight in early autumn. The park has plenty of deciduous trees to set the tone for autumn, with a mix of yellows, reds, browns and oranges. There’s even a Horse Chestnut tree, near the children’s play area, offering up seeds for conker games. I felt a strong…